Biography
Tex Pistol was a solo performing and production alias of Ian Morris – a well-known musician with a long history in New Zealand’s pop-rock scene (Th’ Dudes, DD Smash, Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos). Tex Pistol followed the earlier performing name Jag Moritz, who released the quirky synth-pop single ‘Boot Up Let X=Y’ in 1984 then promptly disappeared.
Success with Tex Pistol took off with his 2nd single – a 1987 cover of Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders classic 60’s number ‘The Game of Love‘, given a very 1980’s synth-pop treatment (though retaining the original searing guitar lick:
Morris followed this up the following year with Tex Pistol’s debut (and only) album, headlined by the single ‘Nobody Else‘, which featured Morris’s brother Richard (aka Rikki Morris) on lead vocals. A catchy mix of emotive vocals, spacey guitar and synth, typically 80’s sounding drums and a choral backing, It was a HUGE smash.
The single hit number 1 in October 1988 and spending a total of 12 weeks in the New Zealand singles chart, making it the 6th biggest single of the year. Surprisingly, Morris never followed up the success of the album and single – spending the remainder of his career as a producer.
Ian Morris passed away in October 2010.
Members
- Ian Morris (Th’ Dudes, DD Smash, Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos, guitar / production)
- Richard Morris (aka Rikki Morris, The Crocodiles, vocals)
Discography
- ‘The Ballad Of Buckskin Bob’ 7″ single (1986, Pagan Records, PAG1013)
- ‘The Game of Love’ 7″ single (1987, Pagan Records, PAG1030)
- ‘Nobody Else‘ 7″ single (with Rikki Morris, 1988, Pagan Records, PAG1038)
- Nobody Else (1988, Pagan Records, PAG1039)
- ‘Come Back Louise’ 7″ single (with Rikki Morris, 1989, Pagan Records, PAG1048)
Awards
Rianz Awards 1987
- Sound Engineer Of The Year: Ian Morris
Rianz Awards 1988
- Songwriter Of The Year: Rikki Morris